2 Timothy 3–4

Godlessness in the Last Days

3But understand this, that ^yin the last days there will come times of difficulty. ²For people will be ^zlovers of self, ^alovers of money, ^bproud, ^barrogant, abusive, ^bdisobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ^3cheartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, ^dnot loving good, ⁴treacherous, reckless, ^eswollen with conceit, ^flovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵having the appearance of godliness, but ^gdenying its power. ^hAvoid such people. ⁶For among them are ⁱthose who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, ⁷always learning and never able to ^jarrive at a knowledge of the truth. ⁸Just as ^kJannes and Jambres ^lopposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, ^mmen corrupted in mind and ⁿdisqualified regarding the faith. ⁹But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, ^oas was that of those two men.

All Scripture Is Breathed Out by God

^10pYou, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, ¹¹my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me ^qat Antioch, ^rat Iconium, and ^sat Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet ^tfrom them all ^uthe Lord rescued me. ¹²Indeed, all who desire to ^vlive a godly life in Christ Jesus ^wwill be persecuted, ¹³while ^xevil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and ^ybeing deceived. ¹⁴But as for you, ^zcontinue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom¹ you learned it ¹⁵and how ^afrom childhood you have been acquainted with ^bthe sacred writings, ^cwhich are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ^16dAll Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, ¹⁷that ^ethe man of God² may be complete, ^fequipped ^gfor every good work.

Preach the Word

4^hI charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, ⁱwho is to judge the living and the dead, and by ^jhis appearing and his kingdom: ²preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; ^kreprove, rebuke, and ^lexhort, with complete patience and teaching. ^3mFor the time is coming when people will not endure ⁿsound¹ teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, ⁴and ^owill turn away from listening to the truth and ^pwander off into myths. ⁵But as for you, ^qalways be sober-minded, ^rendure suffering, do the work of ^san evangelist, ^tfulfill your ministry.

⁶For ^uI am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my ^vdeparture has come. ^7wI have fought the good fight, ^xI have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸Henceforth there is ^ylaid up for me ^zthe crown of righteousness, which the Lord, ^athe righteous judge, will award to me on ^bthat day, and not only to me but also to all ^cwho have loved his appearing.

Personal Instructions

^9dDo your best to come to me soon. ¹⁰For ^eDemas, ^fin love with ^gthis present world, ^hhas deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia,^{2 i}Titus to Dalmatia. ^11hLuke alone is with me. Get ^jMark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry. ^12kTychicus I have sent to Ephesus. ¹³When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. ^14lAlexander the coppersmith did me great harm; ^mthe Lord will repay him according to his deeds. ¹⁵Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message. ¹⁶At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. ⁿMay it not be charged against them! ¹⁷But ^othe Lord stood by me and ^pstrengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and ^qall the Gentiles might hear it. So ^rI was rescued ^sfrom the lion’s mouth. ¹⁸The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. ^tTo him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings

¹⁹Greet ^uPrisca and Aquila, and ^vthe household of Onesiphorus. ²⁰Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left ^wTrophimus, who was ill, at Miletus. ^21xDo your best to come before winter. Eubulus sends greetings to you, as do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers.³

²²The Lord be ^ywith your spirit. ^zGrace be with you.⁴